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Iraola has ‘100 per cent’ trust in Wirtz and Barcola

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has reaffirmed his full confidence in Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola despite mounting pressure on both players to justify their eye-watering transfer fees. Wirtz, signed for £116 million from Bayer Leverkusen, has failed to replicate his Bundesliga form since joining last summer, often struggling to impact games even when Liverpool were dominant—such as in Sunday’s 2-1 Premier League defeat to Manchester City.

Barcola, who arrived from PSG for £123 million in a late-summer transfer window, has also yet to make a significant contribution in six appearances, appearing tentative in his limited minutes so far. The duo have faced heightened scrutiny following injuries to Liverpool’s top three scorers—Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo, and Dominik Szoboszlai—which have left the squad short of firepower.

With these key attackers sidelined for the Champions League trip to Austria against LASK and potentially the next three Premier League fixtures (Brentford, Villarreal, and Brighton), the expectations on Wirtz and Barcola have only grown. Iraola acknowledged their inconsistent starts but insisted their potential remains untapped, emphasizing that their roles carry the same responsibilities as the team’s established performers.

He highlighted moments where both players showed promise, though execution has fallen short of their lofty price tags.

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